End to golden parachutes one of many school reform bills this year

SANTA FE — Golden parachutes are draining money from New Mexico's classrooms, says a state legislator who wants to limit school superintendents to one-year contracts.

Rep. Alonzo Baldonado has introduced a bill that would prohibit school boards from entering into longer-term deals with their top executive. He sees it as a protection for taxpayers and a guarantee that more money will reach classrooms.

"We can help prevent school boards from being held hostage by lengthy contracts and paying out benefits when they should be focused on making the best decisions for their schools," said Baldonado, R-Los Lunas.

His bill is one of many initiatives that could make this the year of the schools in New Mexico.

State legislators are proposing everything from spending $300,000 for a robot competition to ordering school districts to devise policies against bullying over the Internet.

In addition, Gov. Susana Martinez is pushing again for state-ordered retentions of thousands of third-graders in the bottom tier on reading tests. She will face aggressive opposition from high-profile legislators such as Rep. Mimi Stewart, D-Albuquerque, chairwoman of the House Education Committee. Stewart says the governor's retention plan would backfire and lead to more dropouts.

Martinez also wants $2.5 million to expand Advanced Placement courses and to provide AP test waivers for low-income minority students.

Baldonado's bill probably will be among the most controversial of the education measures.

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He said many school boards feel compelled to offer large, multiyear contracts to keep a superintendent, then end up paying an enormous settlement when the relationship sours.

A law requiring that superintendent contracts be no longer than one year would create a safer system for school districts, he said.

One likely argument against the bill is that it would erode local control. If state lawmakers dictate the terms of a contract, some will say that they are usurping the authority of school boards.

Republican legislators in 2011 said too many policies were being forced on local boards through decisions made in Santa Fe. At the time, the issue was whether the Legislature should outlaw paddling of students in public schools.

It did just that, but most Republicans voted to keep the decision on spanking students at the local level.

Baldonado's proposal on one-year contracts is House Bill 91.

Other bills call for expenditures for public education initiatives.

Sen. Pete Campos, D-Las Vegas, is seeking $1.44 million for the state Public Education Department so it can purchase New Mexico-grown fruits and vegetables for school meal programs. His proposal is Senate Bill 80.

Rep. Jim Smith wants $300,000 for Eastern New Mexico University to manage and conduct statewide robot workshops and an international robot competition.

Smith, R-Sandia Park, is a science teacher who says robots can ignite interest in complacent students.

"Robotics programs aren't just about Legos. They're about students who are learning to pay attention in math class and encouraged to compete academically," he said.

The robot measure is HB 25.

Another Republican, Rep. Jimmie Hall of Albuquerque, wants to tighten spending in one area of collegiate academic training.

He has introduced House Bill 50 to prohibit the Legislature from funding colleges of education or teacher preparation programs unless they meet certain standards on how to teach reading.

Another bill would require school boards to establish policies to prevent cyber-bullying. It is House Bill 54, and is sponsored by Rep. Sheryl Williams Stapleton, D-Albuquerque.

Legislators in 2011 ordered the state Public Education Department to set guidelines for bullying prevention that would be promulgated by school boards. Stapleton's bill would broaden the policies to bullying done over the Internet.

Perhaps the single most ambitious school bill is by Sen. Mary Kay Papen, D-Las Cruces.

She wants an allocation of $2.5 million for the state Office of School and Adolescent Health. It would pay for school-based behavioral health services.

The Office of School and Adolescent Health is housed in the Department of Health. It would use the money to help students in grades six through 12 improve academically. The program would be for kids enrolled in schools that are rated C, D or F by the state.

Milan Simonich, Santa Fe bureau chief of Texas-New Mexico Newspapers, can be reached at 505-820-6898. His blog is at nmcapitolreport.com

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